Ron Varasteh was born in San Francisco, Calif., grew up in Lake Forest and currently resides in Irvine. He received a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and a master's degree in computer engineering from California State University-Fullerton.

A small business owner in Irvine, Varasteh is a staunch Democrat who has proposed eliminating income tax for the majority, reducing defense spending, taking money out of elections and politics and reducing government. He also supports legalizing marijuana and hemp and taxing them.

Varasteh favors a universal health care system and says the 2010 health care reform bill did not do enough. He does support that the legislation secured coverage for many, including college students still living at home with their families and individuals with pre-existing conditions. He believes that health care is a human right.

While Varasteh states that he personally opposes abortion except in limited cases, he considers himself pro-abortion rights. He believes that the government cannot be involved in what a woman chooses to do with her body.

He says that to eliminate illegal immigration problems there must be consequences for employers that hire illegal immigrants.

"As long as there are employers in the United States who are willing to continue to hire illegally, there will be people who are willing to risk it all to be here. If we crack down by severely punishing employers that hire illegally, this problem would literally go away, almost overnight," he said.

He favors issuing tax breaks to corporations that bring factories back into the United States.